The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-10-26
CarlyIe's Ghost

Seldom can there be seen in any de-
cent street in London suburb a house
so dingy. dilapidated and squalid look
ing as this. All the lower window
panes have been shattered (by stone
throwing apparently and the broken
glass is lying on the dirty sills and on
the rubbish heaps in the damp area of
the basement A house agents board,
half thrown down, bore a torn printed
paper announcement, This House to
Let; the shutters of the rooms were
closed and all very dirty; the brick
work was discolored with rain, and
getting loose and broken; the whole
aspect of the house was as if it had
been deserted for half century.
think there Is sufficient matter for
the growth of myth or traditionary
ghost story concerning Carlyle. in the
following incident which took place on
the evening of this same day in Nav,
1887, of which have been speaking.
1t was getting dark. and lady who
lives in Cheyne row was coming home.
As she passed No. she saw group
of children and young girls standing
before it in the roadway, looking up
at the house and speaking in eager
whispers. She knew one of the girls
and asked her what was the matter
what they were looking at. The girl
replied with hesitation
''Oh! ma am, we are waiting to see
the ghost"
Indeed! Where is there a ghost?''
The other girls came close to her,
| and they pointed and nodded their
heads gravely at the empty house OF
the Carlyles.
Have any of you seen this ghost?''
asked the lady. with much interest in
the matter.
mo, ma'am. We haven't seen it,
| but my sister Polly was told that Mrs.
Smith at the shop saw ii.
"Who told Polly?" asked the lady.
AUNT Eliza, or leastways, some.
body that heard it from Aunt Eliza.
| ''Oh! Then 1t was Mrs. Smith who
saw the ghost?"
| 20 yes. Mrs Smith last Friday
evening"
| What was the ghost like?'
Then the girls all whispered at once
1T was tall old man with white hair
and he was wrapped in a great white
| sheet"
Then they all looked with curious
eager timidity, up at the broken win
dows of the ground floor.
| 'Did Mrs. Smith see him there
with the shutter closed like that?'
asked the lady.
There was pause, and then one o
the girls said:
NO! The shutter must have beer
open, and the window, too"
How do you know that?" inquired
the lady.
"Oh! Because Aunt Eliza said h,
beckoned to Mrs. Smith, and she wa
in great fright; but she had to stol
because he spoke to her,"
He spoke to herP Do you know
what he saidP"
80 yes, he spoke in strange, fain
sort of voice, and said: Bring m,
two penn'orth of tobacco"
The lady did not laugh, but sh,
tried to dispel the superstitious idea
of the girls by saying:
Don't you think it likely to hav'
been old Barnes, the painter. in hi
white coat and apron? He may hav,
been sent into the house by the owne
to do some job there, and he can't ge
on with his work unless he smokes
you know?"
They did know; but they did no
seem willing to adopt her common
place view of the matter, and she lei
them still looking at the broken win
dows expecting to see the ghost.
A ghost that calls for 1.-TWO penn
orth of tobacco" in the empty house
No. 5 Cheyne row! A more apprt
pirate burlesque could not have bee
invented by the cleverest of our man
writer's who devote their talents {
making men and things ridiculou
Carlyle himself, in the flesh, woul
have felt the humor of it and enioye
, it immensely Globe.